Apparatus for condensing mercurial fumes



(Ramadan) T-. W. DRESSER. Apparatus for Condensing Mercurial Fumes.

No. 234,462. Patented Nov. 16, 1880..

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N. PETERS PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C.

Unites Starts Parent @rrrea.

THOMAS WV. DRESSER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR CONDENSlNG MERCURIAL FUMES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 234,462, dated November 16, 1880.

Application filed April 5, 1880. (No model.)

To all tc/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. Dnnssnn, of San Jose, county of Santa Clara, and State of Galifornia,have invented an Improved Apparatus for Condensing Mercurial Fumes and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention has relation to improvements :0 in apparatus for condensing mercurial fumes;

and it consists, mainly, of partition-walls connected together by pipes or tubes and surmounted by a water-chamber, combined with side chambers horizontally partitioned oft, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus, showing the purifier and the condenser chambers, portions of the front wall in each being broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section across one end of the cooling-chamber. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the condenser with a portion of the outer wall broken away.

In the construction of my condensing apparatus I preferably employ two separate structures or chambers. The one marked A is the cooling and purifying chamber or apparatus, and the one marked B is the condenser; but both could be built inside of one structure, if

0 desired. The structure or chamber A, llocate between the condenser B and the furnace, so that the fumes from the furnace will first enter and pass through the cooling and purifying chambers before entering the condenser.

3 5 The interior of the structure A, I divide into three chambers by means of two upright partitions, O O, which are so arranged across the structure, midway between its sides, as to form a narrow central chamber or compartment.

These partitions O O are perforated with numerous holes, so that the holes in one partition will alternate with the holes in the opposite partition, and the space between them I fill with pure lime. This I call the lime- 4 5 chamber. The lime is charged into this chamher through an opening in the roof of the structure, and the exhausted lime is drawn off through an opening, D, near the bottom.

The top of the structure is made to form a pan by extending its sides and ends upward above the roof, and the opening to the limechamber is protected by a surrounding rim or curb, E, which extends upward as high as the sides of the pan.

The chambers FF on each side of the limechamber form the cooling-chambers. A coldwater pipe, Gr, passes horizontally across the bottom of each of these chambers, and to each of these pipes are connected the lower ends of a number of small vertical pipes, h h, which extend upward through the chamber and through the roof of the structure. The upper ends of these small pipes project above the roof and are bent over, as shown, so as to terminate below the rim of the pan-top.

One end of the horizontal pipe G passes through the side of the structure, and is connected either with a pump or with an elevated source of water-supply, so that cold water will be introduced into it under a sufficient press ure to force the water upward through the small pipes into the pan on top of the structure. The pan top has an overflow-pipe, t, which conducts the water away and preserves a uniform level in the pan. The horizontal pipe G must be of suflicient area to supply the entire number of vertical pipes with water, so that they will remain full all the time and keep up a continued circulation of cold water from the bottom upward. The vertical pipes are arranged so as to alternate, and thus form a skeleton-partition across each chamber, as shown.

The floors of the chambers F are inclined, and pipes j lead from the lowest point of each 8 5 to a quicksilver-tank, K, outside of the structure, so that the quicksilver which is formed by condensation of the fumes in these chambers will be conducted to the tank. The fumes from the furnace are introduced into one of the 0 chambers F through the pipe L, where they come in contact with the cold vertical pipes it. Some of the fumes will be condensed by the sudden chill to which they are thus subjected, but others will pass on through the perfo- 9 5 rated partitions and lime-chamber into the opposite chamber F. During their passage through the lime-chamber the fumes are freed from sulphur and other impurities by the lime.

In the opposite chamber 1 the fumes again 10o come in contact with the cold vertical pipes h, by which another portion is condensed, as in the former chamber. From this chamber the fumes pass into the condenserstructure B through the pipes M M. The interior of this structure is divided, like the structure A, into three vertical compartments by two upright partitions, N N. These partitions are connected by numerous short tubes 0 O O, which pass through them and communicate with the chambers on each side. These tubes I shall preferably make of glass; but earthenware tubes or tubes made of vulcanized rubber can be used.

The vertical compartment on the side next to the purifier is divided into two chambers, U U, by a horizontal partition, 1?, near the bottom of the compartment, so as to make the lower chamber, U, into which the fumes are first admitted, quite small. The opposite vertical compartment is also divided into two chambers, V V, by a horizontal partition, Q, which extends across near the mid-height of the compartment. At the top of the middle compartment a watertank, R, is placed, in the bottom of which are numerous holes or perforations, through which the watercan be showered or sprayed upon the numerous tubes 0, which extend across from partition to partition below it. This water is conveyed away by means of a pipe, S, at the bottom of the middle compartment. This shower of water upon the tubes keeps them cool, so that the fumes which pass through them will be subjected to a low temperature.

The fumes, as stated above, enter the small chamber U on the side next to the purifier; thence they pass through the tubes 0 into the lower compartment, V, on the opposite side; thence they rise and pass backthrough the higher tube into the upper chamber, U,thencc back through still higher tubes to the upper chamber, V, from which any remaining volatile products escape through the pipe Y.

It will be noticed thatthe tubesO are slightly inclined, so that the quicksilver which condenses lll them will run down into the chambers. The floors of the chambers are also inclined, and pipes Z lead from the lowermost floors t0 the quicksilver-tank K.

This arrangement of chambers forms what I call a still-condenser that is, the fumes are held in alarge chamber, and are drawn gradually through the pipes, so that they have every chance to condense. The same arrangement of alternate chambers and connectingtubes could be extended indefinitely, so as to give any desired amount of condensingroom, and their arrangement is such that they take up but little space. V

To prevent the glass or other tubes from being broken by the continual expansion and contraction to which they are subjected, 1 place a packing-ring, a,ot' vulcanized india-rubber, 0n the end of each, so as to make atightjoint around them and admit of their moving endwise slightly without injury.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a quicksilver-condensing apparatus, the partition-walls N, connected together by the tubes 0 and surmounted by the waterchamber R,in combination with side chambers having one or more horizontal partitions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the partitionavalls N, connected together by the tubes 0 and surmounted by the water-chamber R, of the side chambers having one or more partitions disposed horizontally, quicksilver-tank, and pipes leading from said partitions to the quicksilvertank, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a condenser, E, and a purifier, A, connected together by a pipe or pipes, of the quicksilvertank and pipes leading from said condenser and purifier to said tank, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

THOMAS W. DRESSER. [L. s.

WVitnesses EDWARD E. OsBoRN, WM. F. CLARK. 

